Improvement in watch-chains



P. rnormzn & A. BELLEMERE. Watch-Chains.

"0.141642, Patented Dec .l6,l873

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIoE.

PIERRE FRONTIER AND AUGUSTUS BELLEMERE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.

IMPROVEMENT m WATCH-CHAINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 145,642, dated December 16, 1873; application filed August 23, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, PIERRE FRONTIER and AUGUSTUS BELLEMERE, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Mode of Setting and Fastening Stones in Jewelry, of which the following is a specification:

Our invention relates to an improved watchchain, and also to an improved mode of constructing link-chains, by which they can be readily constructed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the setting or frame for a stone. Fig. 2 shows a stone out for the frame or setting. Fig. 3 shows a stone set; and Figs. 4, 5, and (i show the appearance of a chain complete.

Our improvement in watchchains consists in the employment of solid blocks of quartz, a, grooved on two sides only, to form the links or main body of the chain.

We are aware that quartz has heretofore been employed in the construction of watch and other chains; but it has always been used as a filling, or surrounded by a metal frame, whereas we employ solid blocks or parallelograms of quartz linked together, so as to form what we call a California-quartz chain.

These blocks, as above stated, we make, chiefly, in the form of a parallelogram; but it is evident that any desired shape can be given to them, the chief part of our invention being to use the quartz in as naked a form as possible.

To unite these blocks, we make a longitudinal groove, I), on two opposite sides only of each block or quartz link, as shown. We then take a metal loop, 0, which is somewhat longer than the block, and which is provided with two opposite points or projections, e 0, near the bend on each side of the loop. These points are just far enough apart to clasp the ends of the block a when it is placed inside of the loop. To unite the loop and block, we place the block inside of the loop until the sides of the loop are opposite or over the grooves.

We then employ a pair of pinchers to close the ends of the loop down upon the block, so that the sides of the loop will lie in the grooves and the projections fit against its ends, thus clasping the quartz block, on two sides only, firmly in the loop, while the opposite ends of the loop form eyes, into which a connectinglink can be hooked. To unite these quartz links we use any short metal link, 0, which we hook into the projecting eyes ateach end of two of the loops, thus forming a series of connected blocks and links.

By this means we provide a most beautiful and cheaply-constructed chain.-

We are aware that blocks of glass, jet, and like substances, have been used as links for watch chains; but these blocks have been grooved on all four sides, thus requiring two links to each block, and these loops, having no spurs at one end to keep the blocks in place, would have to be fixed by solder or depend solely upon their clasping powers to hold the block; otherwise the block would be loose and liable to fall out. While this arrangement would be well enough for light blocks of glass and jet, when applied to a quartz block it would greatly mar the beauty of the quartz, by giving it the appearance of being set in a frame; while by our arrangement two of the faces of the quartz block are untouched, while the other two faces are but slightly marred.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

As a new article of manufacture, a watchchain consisting of the loops with their points or projections 0 e, and the quartz or other suitable blocks a, constructed, combined, and arranged substantially as described.

PIERRE FRONTIER. AUGUSTUS BELLEMERE. WVitnesses:

ALFRED A. lVIAOE, A. T. HAWLEY, GEo. W. TYLER. 

